New Refrigerator Backpack Could Deliver Vaccines In Remote Areas

A student from the UK has developed a tiny mobile refrigerator. This compact new refrigerator is known as the Isobar Cooling Tank. It can keep vaccines at an optimal temperature for up to 30 days. This tiny refrigerator can be kept inside a backpack to easily deliver medical supplies and vaccines to people in remote areas. According to health experts, it could help to treat above 1.5 million people around the world, if it lives up to its potential.

Will Broadway, said, “I wanted to make something for people who have next to nothing. It should be a basic human right, in my opinion, to have a vaccination. I don’t think, it should be patent to restrict use.” (Will Broadway is currently studying at Loughborough University in England.)

Getting medicines in developing countries of Africa and Asia depends on the cold chain transport. A cold chain is a type of chain where goods are placed at very precise temperatures while in transit by making a series of stops along the way.

But there is the problem in this system. Because of unreliable roads and electricity, various countries and remote regions don’t get proper cold chain supply. This means, lots of vaccines run the risk of hitting unsafe temperatures in transit. Thus, they consider as useless by the time they reach their destination.

After noticing these problems during a trip to Cambodia in 2012, Broadway decided to develop a device that would keep vaccines and other supplies at a proper temperature for the duration of the trip, skipping all the barriers that a normal vaccine transport route would take.

So, he developed a mini refrigerator. It creates ammonia vapours by heating ammonia and water. The gas released inside the chamber if needed by keeping the contents inside to just above freezing for 30 days straight.

Working of this new refrigerator- Isobar Cooling Tank:

The ammonia and water were heated and separated into the cooling tank. After separation, these two substances reintroduce each other. This causes a cooling effect called absorption refrigeration. It can control the amount of water and ammonia are allow interacting.

Will said, “I want a device to be involved in the production of the device to ensure its working. It’s amazing to just give it a go, even in my backyard, and see the potential of this technology.”